Bottles & Mugs
by Kaesteranya
Summary: The night is young, and the drinks run high... the time for old comrades to come together and celebrate has arrived.


    Here's a lesser-celebrated couple that I found out about through a large online shrine... Viki and Luc. Hard to believe sometimes, huh? Yet, somehow it seems to fit...  
    But that isn't what this particular vignette is about. I COULD try and writing something about them; trouble is, I don't know how to write it. ;^^  
    A little follow-up to Snowflakes. You don't have to read Snowflakes to understand what's going on here, though you may end up asking questions as to why Flik and McDohl are with each other when they come in. o_O   
  
  


**beer bottles & ale mugs**

  
  
  
    "A toast to old times and to new!" 

    Hearty cheers went all around the table at Viktor's shout, and the clanking of countless mugs against each other was quick to follow along with whistles and laughter. 

    Viktor's laughter was the loudest of them all. He clapped Gremio on the shoulder, causing the smaller man to flinch at his unwittingly strong grip. "Just like old times, eh? Here we are, sitting at this table and drinking to the new morning!" 

    "Yeah, yeah," Gremio agreed a little sheepishly, managing a smile as he nursed his glass of water. Virtually all of the men at the table were downing their third mug. 

    "It's strange enough that we were all somehow brought together like this to fight yet another battle... I mean, hell, I thought that we had all gone our separate ways!" 

    "The more, the merrier, eh, Viktor?" said Rikimaru with a grin, raising his sake cup. 

    "Yup, you got that right!" 

    "Another round, boys?" asked Leona as she sauntered over to their table with her hand on her hip and a tray balanced expertly on the other. She smiled coqquetishly at the men, tossing her hair. "Now's the time to get drunk: we've just won another battle against the Highland." 

    "Couldn't agree more, missy!" said Amada, winking at Leona and causing her to giggle. "Another round! They're all free anyways!" 

    Agreements came from all around as each soldier picked off their selected drink from the tray before Leona swished away to get more. 

    "Where's Flik?" asked Viktor, looking around as he idly swished the beer in his bottle. "Haven't seen him all day..." 

    "Can't blame the man, ya know," said Georg with a grin. "With Nina loose in the castle, the poor guy's a fugitive in his own territory!" 

    Laughs of agreement went all around. 

    "...I thought I spotted him heading up to the battlements," Humphrey said, answering Viktor's question in his typically quiet way. It amazed most of the group that he had actually decided to SAY something. 

    "Eh? Really??" Viktor blinked, a slight frown creasing his forehead. "I can't believe that guy! We just won a battle, and he's off by himself to brood again." 

    "He seems to have alot on his mind..." 

    "He's got too MUCH on his mind, to be exact." Viktor guzzled down the rest of his drink. "He needs a new girlfriend." 

    "Who needs a new girlfriend?" asked the object of their conversation as he entered the tavern with McDohl. 

    "Flik! We were just talkin' about ya!" Viktor grinned, waving Flik and McDohl over. "Why doncha join us? You're old enough to drink, right?" he asked of McDohl, cocking an eyebrow. 

    "I think so..." 

    "Good!" Viktor pushed a full mug of ale at the boy and sat him down beside Gremio. "Enjoy yourself like the rest of us!" 

    McDohl blinked at having been rather unceremoniously seated and given a drink. He and Gremio exchanged glances and sheepish smiles while the rest of the group passed yet another round of drinks about the table. 

    "It's really too bad that Jinkou's not old enough to drink yet," Amada remarked thoughtfully as he plucked off a bottle from a passing waitress's tray. "It would've been fun, having him around." 

    "We'll give him a try when this is all over," Viktor said with a decisive nod. "After the war, that boy'll deserve a drink!" 

    Flik sweatdropped. "You sure that's a good idea? He might pass out or something..." 

    "Phsaw! It's all in good spirits anyways!" 

    Thus the night went on.   
  


***

  
  
    A few hours later, only a few people remained in the tavern. Most of the soldiers had already crashed in for the night to regain their strength for the hard days to come. 

    Strangely enough, the people who remained were the ones who had once fought together against another oppressor and at another time... 

    "Kinda funny," Flik mused with a smile, "how we always end up crossing paths in the end." he looked up to meet gazes with each and every person at the table. Viktor grinned in return, Gremio and McDohl both smiled, and Humphrey acknowledged his statement with a nod. "It's too bad the rest of us couldn't be here at this moment." 

    "We all have our own lives," said Gremio, "and there are some of us who never truly felt like they belonged in the group, I suppose." 

    "Either that," muttered Viktor as he took another mouthful of ale, "or they're too young to be drinking." 

    "Or they have already left this world," said Humphrey quietly, gazing down into the depths of his drink. 

    The group fell silent, each entertaining his own private thoughts. 

    "This war isn't actually too different from the last one," said a thoughtful McDohl, "it's just that we're fighting for a different side." 

    "We're all a little older," Gremio added quietly, "and a little wiser. Some of the people who were with us last time can be with us no longer, while others have returned. Some of the people we fight with are ones we would have never met... had it not been for fate." he smiled at the rest of the group. "Fate encompasses us all." 

    Viktor raised his mug solemnly, catching the attention of the rest of the group. 

    "To far away times," he said, cracking his customary grin. 

    "Aye." Humphrey raised his mug. "To peace." 

    Gremio and McDohl smiled as they raised theirs. "To unity." 

    Flik was the last to raise his. "To love." 

    Thus, the old friends sealed their relationship with a toast.   
  


**e n d .**


End file.
